Sabah’s politics mirror Sarawak as local coalitions rise and peninsula parties lose influence
PETALING JAYA: Sabah’s political trajectory is increasingly mirroring the transformation seen in Sarawak, in which state-based coalitions have solidified their dominance and parties from Peninsular Malaysia have been steadily pushed to the margins.
Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the shift reflects the image of local identity politics once dominated by peninsula-based parties, including Barisan Nasional (BN), which long regarded Sabah as its electoral “safe deposit”.
He said peninsula-based parties are now struggling to build meaningful traction in Sabah. In contrast, homegrown coalitions such as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan continue to resonate strongly with the state electorate, even if neither has managed to command outright dominance.
“Since the fragmentation of Umno after 2018 and the political turmoil that followed, Sabah has increasingly mirrored Sarawak’s model. Ethnonationalist sentiment has grown stronger, and peninsular parties have become the early victims of this rising localism,” he told theSun.
He said the deepening shift towards state-centric politics has placed GRS and Warisan at the forefront of political contestation, adding that their longer-term viability would depend on internal cohesion rather than external competition.
“GRS and Warisan are expected to continue competing with each other for a long time. However, any party would be hindered if internal crises arise from struggles for power and positions. Therefore, the survival of both depends on the stability and loyalty within their own leadership.”
Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said the evolution towards localised politics has contributed to a fragmented landscape, in which no single party or coalition has the ability to secure decisive control of the state assembly.
“As a result, political instability, especially in the form of shifting alliances, would continue for quite some time.”
He added that with coalition politics becoming the norm rather than the exception, Sabah should expect frequent realignments and post-election negotiations to determine who forms the government.
He also said this would shape Sabah politics for several electoral cycles as local parties continue to consolidate influence while peninsular coalitions attempt to stay relevant.
The results of the 17th Sabah state election saw GRS clinch 29 of the 73 seats contested, followed by Warisan with 25 seats.
BN secured six, independents won five, while United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation secured three.
Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku won two seats while Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional each captured one seat.
Analysts say Sabah’s political recalibration closely resembles the path taken by Sarawak after the 2018 general election.
Once a dominant bloc within BN, Sarawak’s four major component parties, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party and Progressive Democratic Party quit BN on June 12, 2018 and formed Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Their exit came in the wake of BN’s historic defeat in GE14 and was driven by concerns that remaining in BN would tarnish Sarawak’s political standing, particularly as BN was weighed down by the 1MDB scandal.
Leaving BN allowed Sarawak leaders to distance themselves from negative federal baggage, strengthen their bargaining position with the then PH-led federal government and present GPS as a purely Sarawak-first coalition free from Peninsular Malaysia interference.
